Bones to Break
by 10bananaboats
Summary: When Emma and Hook have to work together in order to save Henry from Greg and Tamara, the pair must confront, not only the dangerous ahead, but their growing feelings for each other.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Being sheriff was a lot more interesting before the curse broke. Everything (mostly) was black and white. Now the only crime that was being committed was Regina plotting to kill Emma's entire family – which now included Rumplestiltskin and Neal of all people. But how, exactly, are you going to lock the Evil Queen up for conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder? No jail cell would hold her.

So Emma sat at her desk, going through old files for entertainment, with her fourth cup of coffee in her hand.

_Only 9 o'clock?_ She groaned inwardly. Mary Margaret and David wouldn't be ready for lunch at Granny's until noon and that bagel she had an hour earlier was wearing off quickly.

"Maybe there's a pack of crackers in here…"

"Did you miss me beautiful?" Emma had to brace herself on the desk so she didn't fall out of the chair. _Hook_. Emma turned around, expecting to see him standing in the doorway, smirking, with that devilish glint in his eye. What she saw was far different. Hook was leaning against the door frame, barely able to stand. He was bloodied and bruised. And the look on his face wasn't flirtatious. He looked broken.

"Hook!" Emma gasped, jumping up to catch him before he fell over. "Did you get hit by another car?" Hook let out a sound that was a combination of a laugh and a groan.

"No, lass. There are far more painful things than being hit by a car." Why was he looking at her like she had done this to him?

Hook tried to take a step forward but ended up tripping into Emma's arms. "Hook, we have to get you to the hospital."

"No!" Emma jumped at his exclamation. Why was he yelling at her? "No hospitals. You need to answer some questions." His words were almost a growl. _Shit_. He was angry at her. What had happened to him? And how had she caused it?

Emma tried to compose herself. "At least let me take you to my house where you can lay down." Hook looked at Emma with something between contempt and compassion. It was a weird combination that gave her weird feelings.

"Alright, Swan. Have it your way." Hook pulled away from her and made a step towards the door. Emma caught him just before he hit the ground.

"I think you're going to have to let me help you to the car." Emma put her arm around Hook's waist and he threw his over her shoulder for support. There was definitely something wrong. "No flirting this time?" She said it before she even knew what she was doing.

Hook just looked at her. He smiled but it didn't meet his eyes. "No, Swan."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

It was an ordeal, but Hook was finally upstairs in Emma's room. She sat him in the chair she had next to her bookcase. "I thought I was going to get to lay down."

"You are. But you are not getting in my bed with those clothes on. You're covered in blood. I'm going to get you some of David's."

Hook took the opportunity to look around her room from the chair. A bookcase full of books. A fairy tale book lying on the table next to her bed, opened to a picture of Snow and Charming. The bed looked comfortable. It was a white metal frame, covered in a patch-work quilt and adorned with lots of very soft looking pillows. Hook really wished he could lie down. Maybe Emma could stay… no. He was mad at her. She had helped the Crocodile to live. His arch enemy, the man he had spent over three centuries trying to kill. And just when he thought he had succeeded, here came Swan to save the day. She really was a savoir.

"Here," Emma broke his chain of thought. She had brought him some sort of blue pants and a blue and grey plaid shirt.

"What are those?" Hook asked, nodding towards the pants in her hand.

"These? They're blue jeans. Like what I'm wearing. Except made for men."

"Are they comfortable?"

"Hook, you've been wearing leather for centuries. These are going to feel like a cloud."

"I like leather." _Is he actually sulking_? First he was furious and now he's sulking because she insulted his fabric preference? This man's moods changed as often as the wind.

"Come on, I'm going to have to help you change."

"Swan, I think I can handle –"

"You can barely even stand by yourself! Don't be such a baby." The look on Hooks face made her realize his hesitancy. Underwear… _Do three hundred year old pirates wear underwear_? "Um… I'll be right back."

Emma returned a few minutes later with a pair of David's boxers. "What are these?"

Emma's skin color matched her red leather jacket. _Of course_. "Um… they're called boxers. They're… um… undergarments."

"Oh. Well. I guess we should get this over with." And with just a hint of a smile, Hook leaned over to unbuckle his boots but, was once again, stopped by pain.

"I'll get it." Emma knelt down in front of Hook and started to undo the buckles on his shoes. "So, are you going to tell me what happened?" The way she looked up at Hook… she looked so vulnerable. But if he didn't confront her now, he knew he wouldn't ever. "Hook, why are you so beat up?"

"That isn't the most pressing matter that I want to discuss with you." Hook's reply was given through clenched teeth. Emma felt his eyes burning into her. _I guess we're going with angry again_, she thought. All she could do was to blink up at him.

"Um… ok. I don't understa –"

"Rumplestiltskin is alive." Hook was gripping the arms of the chair.

"Yeah, no thanks to you." _That's what this is about?_ "Hook, you can't just go around jabbing your hook into anyway you please here. You'll go to jail!"

"Not just anyone, Emma. _He deserves to die_. And you… you are on his side! You're helping him!" Hook was full blown yelling at her now. "You went with him to that god-awful city, and you helped him!"

"Hook, I didn't go with Gold to the city because I wanted to help him!" _He's going to make me say it._

"Oh well, excuse me Emma! Forgive me for misinterpreting you traveling to a different city with Gold and your son as having a desire to help him!"

_Fuck it._ There was no going back now. "I went with Gold to Manhattan because he threatened to kill you if I didn't!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Hook thought that he must not have heard correctly. Emma saving him? That had to have been a misunderstanding. Right? "You… you did what?"

Emma sighed heavily. "Hook, I wasn't working with Gold because I wanted to help him. He came to me and demanded that I leave with him to New York. He said that every minute that he stayed in Storybrooke was a minute closer he came to killing you. I went with him to save your life."

She cared about him. Neither Hook, nor Emma, could deny that now. But why did she save Gold?

"Emma, I have waited for over 300 years to kill the Dark One. I had succeeded in my vengeance and then you saved his life. How could you do it? Even you know the evil that man is capable of but you stopped him from dying. Stopped me for obtaining my revenge!"

"I didn't have a choice!"

"Of course you did. You chose to save him. You could have let him die and everyone would have been better off."

"That's not true. I wouldn't have been. I had an obligation to try to stop him from dying."

"What obligation is that, Emma? Why does he matter to you?" Hook's question was out of genuine curiosity. There was no malice in his tone. He really wanted to know her motivation. But Emma had no plans of spilling everything to him immediately.

"Hook, I will tell you why. But later. Right now you do not look good at all. So we need to get you changed and in bed."

Hook thought that whatever Emma wasn't telling him could be potentially devastating to him. She obviously thought that he couldn't handle it in his, he had to admit, weakened state. Perhaps she was right. "Alright, Swan. Let's do this."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Emma finished getting his boots off. "Do you need help with your shirt, vest, thing?"

"Getting it off, yes. It hurts to move my arms very much." Hook began to undo the buttons on his shirt. Emma did her best not to stare at him while he did it. But it was difficult. After Hook had finished undoing the buttons, he looked at the woman before him, who was, quite obviously, fighting the urge to look at him. She was blushing. "Are you all right, Emma?" He fought the urge to chuckle. He was still mad at her. _Or am I?_

"Yeah. I'm fine. Can you stand?"

Hook slowly stood up from the chair. Without hesitation, Emma pushed his shirt down his arms and onto the floor. Now she _was_ looking. He was beautiful, there was no denying that. His arms and torso were perfectly toned. _Probably from sailing a ship for centuries_. His chest was broad with a smattering of dark hair that she fought the urge to touch. He was perfect except for the cuts, blood, and bruises. "Hook, I need to clean these cuts. And get this blood off of you."

"Emma, I really don't think that's necessary."

"I don't really think you're in a position to argue with me." Ah, there was that sass that he loved.

"Alright, Swan. Have your way with me." She glanced up at Hook. This time his grin did meet his eyes. And there was that flirtation that she loved.

"We should probably just finish getting you changed so you can lie down while I clean them. You don't look like you're very comfortable standing up."

"No. No I'm not."

"Hold on. I've got to get your pants off." Emma braved a glance at Hook. _Good, he's just as embarrassed as I am_. "You okay?" Hook was staring at her, mouth slightly open. He was breathing hard.

"Yeah. I'm just in pain."

"Okay, well I'm almost done. You can lie down in a second." Emma finished unlacing the tie on his pants. She mentally prepared herself for what was next. By the look on his face, Hook was too. He thought to himself that, if he were in better shape, he would like to do more in her bed than just lie down. Fortunately, or unfortunately – he couldn't decide – he couldn't even walk without help.

Emma hooked her thumbs into the waistband of his pants and, as gently as she could, slid them over his hips. She was looking anywhere but at him. "Can you step out of your pants… please?" Hook held onto her tightly as he slowly stepped out of his pants and pushed them aside with his foot. He was completely nude now. He could tell that she was really trying not to look at him – any part of him.

"Emma…"

"You need to put these on." Emma quickly turned from him and grabbed the boxers from the table next to the chair Hook had been sitting in.

"Emma, please listen to me."

"Put these on. Lie down. Then we can talk." She still wouldn't look at him. Hook held on to Emma as she helped him put each leg in and the swiftly pulled the boxers up to cover him. Without saying another word, Emma helped Hook over and into her bed.

"I thought you didn't want me to get blood on your bed?"

"I… I'll get new sheets. Are you comfortable?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to get some things to clean your cuts." Before Emma could walk away, Hook grabbed her hand to keep her from leaving.

"Emma, please." Emma hesitated, but knelt down next to him. How could she say no? "Emma, there are some things that I have to explain about Rumplestiltskin and why I'm in such a poor state. But I haven't figured out how I'm going to say it yet. But do you trust that I will tell you the truth?" His eyes were serious. Pleading. Yes, she trusted him. Completely. And that surprised and scared her. She felt so vulnerable around him. Her reply was a whisper.

"I trust you."

Hook gently tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and rested his hand on her cheek. The show of affection surprised both of them. Hook brushed his thumb along her cheek bone.

"Thank you for taking care of me."

Emma felt her lips tingling and her insides warming. "I still have to clean your wounds. It might hurt a little." Hook locked his eyes on hers.

"I trust you."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Emma had just finished rummaging through Mary Margaret's medicine cabinet when she heard the door open.

"Emma?" Mary Margaret's voice rang out through the house, tinged with worry. Emma sighed and rolled her eyes, _here we go._

"I'm here." Emma walked into the kitchen where her parents rushed to hug her.

"Emma, we went to the station and no one was there and when we got to Granny's you weren't there either. We were worried something had happened to you!"

"Mary Margaret – "

"And then Granny said that she saw your car heading this way so we came here. Is everything ok?"

"Guys, I'm fine. There was an incident that I had to take care of. I should have called you but I was… distracted. I'm sorry that I made you worry." David moved to hug his daughter.

"It's ok honey. We might have overreacted." _Parents._ "Why are you holding peroxide and bandages?"

"I… um." Before Emma could answer, a loud thump from upstairs reverberated through the kitchen, followed by a resonant "Damn!"

David pulled his gun. "Again with the gun! David, it's fine. That's the incident that I mentioned. You don't need to brandish your weapon." David lowered his gun but didn't holster it.

"Emma, what the hell is going on?"

"Just… come with me."

Emma made her way upstairs to her room, followed closely by her parents. When she opened her door, she wasn't very shocked to see Hook sprawled on his stomach on the floor. _Bloody pirate._ Emma sighed and tried not to laugh. "Didn't I say I'd be back in a minute?" Hook turned his head towards her to retort, but stopped when he saw Mary Margaret's shocked expression, and David's murderous glare. Hook brandished his genuine smile.

"Hullo, mate. Fine day isn't it?"

"What the hell are you doing in _my_ house, in _my_ daughter's bedroom, wearing _my_ boxers?" His gun was pointed at Hook.

"David," Emma put her hand on his gun and lowered it, "remember that overreacting thing we just talked about?"

"David he's covered in blood." Mary Margaret put her hand on her husband's shoulder. Emma glanced from Hook, whose brokenness was again showing on his face behind his smile, to her father, who now looked at her with understanding and worry.

"Meet us downstairs when you're finished." Without another word, David left Emma's room. Mary Margaret touched her daughter's arm and quickly retreated as well, leaving Emma to pick up the shattered man lying on her floor.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Emma turned to look at Hook. He was lying there, staring up at her. "Well that was a nice visit with your parents."

"What the hell do you think you're doing. Are you trying to hurt yourself even more?"

"Emma, I had to go to the bathroom. I didn't think you'd appreciate me using your bed as a latrine."

"You couldn't have waited five minutes for me to come back and help you in there? You are the most stubborn man I have met in my entire life!"

"Well you are the most stubborn lass I have ever met in my entire life and I'm three hundred years older than you! What do you have to say to that, princess?"

"Princess?! If anyone is acting like a princess, it's you, you entitled, stubborn, son of a bitch. The next time you think about giving me sass, keep in mind that you are in no condition to defend yourself, and I have a father downstairs who has a gun and would love nothing more than to come up here and shoot you. Now shut up and let me take care of you!" _Why do I let him rile me up like this?_

Hook stared open mouthed at Emma. And then begin to laugh. Which he quickly regretted. He gritted his teeth and turned his head so she wouldn't see how much pain he was in. He felt her kneel next to him. "Hook?" Her voice was gentle, surprisingly so after how he had just piqued her anger. "Hook we need to get you off the floor." She softly placed her hand on his back.

"Just let me lay here for a second, lass."

"Can you at least roll over so I can clean you up a bit? I also brought something that will help take some of the pain away."

"Is it rum? Rum is good." Emma rolled her eyes as Hook, slowly, turned himself to lay on his back, gritting his teeth in pain the whole time. Emma reached onto her bed and grabbed a pillow to place under his head. "I've got to get some of this blood off before I can clean the wounds." Emma grabbed a decorative bowl that was sitting on a shelf in her room, went to her bathroom, filled it with warm water, and grabbed the softest washcloth she could find. She also filled a glass with water. After seating herself next to Hook again, she handed him the glass and pain pills. "Take these."

"What are they?"

"It's medicine. It'll help knock the edge off the pain." Hook swallowed the pills and rested his head back on the pillow. Emma began her gentle assault on the dried blood caking his body.

Hook stared straight at the ceiling while Emma doctored him. He never once noticeably looked at her, even when she kept glancing at him to see if she was hurting him. Neither of them spoke until she had cleaned off all of the blood, disinfected his wounds, bandaged the worst ones, and checked for any broken bones, which, to her surprise and relief, he didn't seem to have. "Well, I'm all done," Emma finally said. "Do you want to keep lying here while I change the sheets on my bed?" Hook nodded his head faintly, but didn't say a word. "Okay, well, I'll just be a few minutes. Do you want anything to eat? Drink?" He silently shook his head. "Um… ok. Just yell if you change your mind."

Hook finally turned to look at her and spoke. "You haven't asked me again about what happened. Why?" _God, he's moody._

"Hook, I'm not going to nag you for information. You have a reason why you are choosing to not tell me. I trust your judgment. You'll tell me when you're ready." Emma made to stand up, but Hook's hand on hers stopped her.

"Emma," Hook hesitated.

"Yes?"

"Just… hurry back."

To her surprise, Emma smiled, a truly genuine smile, and reached out and smoothed his hair back from his forehead. "I'll be back in a jiff. Don't go anywhere." Emma only caught a glance of Hook's sarcastic grin before she left the room and made her way downstairs.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

David and Mary Margaret jumped on their daughter like lions on prey as soon as her foot hit the bottom floor. In hurried and hushed voices, they interrogated her.

"Emma, honey, what is going on?"

"I'm going to get a change of sheets for my bed."

"You know what your mother means. Why is that… that _pirate_ in our house?"

"Guys. Relax."

"Emma, Hook is half naked, bruised and bloodied, in _our _home and you're asking your mother and me to relax."

"David, calm down. Emma, what happened?"

"I was at the station going through some files and Hook just showed up with blood all over him. He could barely even stand. So I brought him here."

"Honey, why didn't you take him to the hospital?"

"He didn't want to go so I asked if he'd let me bring him here and he agreed. So I brought him here."

"But, Emma, how did he get like this? Who did this to him?"

"Mary Margaret, I don't know. He hasn't told me."

"What? You brought him here without knowing who beat him up? Emma this could be a trap! Whoever did this to him could have followed you guys here in order to get to us!"

"David," Mary Margaret placed a calming hand on her husband's shoulder, "give your daughter a bit more credit than that."

Emma was a little taken aback by her mom's support. She looked at David, who looked upset and opened his mouth to, what Emma could only guess, was apologize. Before this situation got any more emotional, Emma raised her hand to stop him and interrupted, "No, it's okay. You're just trying to protect us, I know. But David, Hook is not the kind of person to physically harm himself in order to help someone else's cause. He found me because he needed help."

David took a step towards his daughter. "Emma, what if –"

"There aren't any 'what ifs'. He's only lied to me once, when I first met him, never again. He's not lying to me now." David turned from his daughter to his wife. Emma wasn't sure what they were communicating through their glances, but she knew that they understood each other. David looked concerned, Mary Margaret a mix of shock and worry and… _excitement?_ No, Emma thought, she had to have seen incorrectly. David gave a nearly imperceptible shake of his head and turned back to his daughter.

"Emma, do you trust him?" Without hesitation, Emma answered.

"Yes. I trust him. Completely."


End file.
